Support your nursing resume with a standout cover letter

Danielle curates content for Gap Medics, the world’s leading provider of hospital work experience placements for school and university students.

Danielle curates content for Gap Medics, the world’s leading provider of hospital work experience placements for school and university students.

“Should I give more importance to the cover letter or the resume?” That’s a question that many applicants ask when creating their cover letters and resumes.

The answer is both are equally important. Your resume holds all of your essential personal details, from your qualifications to your work experience, which is what any employer wants to know. However, it is still the second piece of paper that any reader will get to. The first paper that will get read is your cover letter and in that sense it is the most important.

Why is the cover letter so important?

A cover letter is usually what helps the recruiters decide whether to go on and read your resume or not. It is the first impression that the hiring manager will get of you and first impressions always count for a lot when it comes to getting a job. A weak cover letter is like a dud firecracker. It won’t arouse any interest in the reader who may decide it’s probably not even worth taking the trouble to read your resume. A good cover letter is one that makes someone want to read your resume. A great cover letter is one that suggests that you are the right candidate for the job even before they get round to reading your resume. Your cover letter is what can help you stand out from the hundreds of applicants who don’t put in that little extra effort to package their resume well.

How to make your cover letter stand out – A few tips

Do your research

A little background check on the company that you are applying to will give you an insight into what it would be like working with them. What kind of people are they looking for? What traits do you see in the current staff members? If you feel that any of your skills match the type of skills they are looking for, ensure that you highlight this in your cover letter.

Convince them to hire you

Think of a cover letter as a space for you to market yourself in the best possible way and convince them to hire you. They need to read through your letter and feel like you will be a great asset to the institution. Be assertive and put your points across convincingly so that they get your message.

Focus on your strengths

A cover letter is all about highlighting your strengths in an interesting way in order to impress the recruiter. Put down every skill you have, all your work experience and all your achievements that will convince any reader that they will benefit from hiring you.

Don’t rush it

Don’t get into the habit of writing your cover letter at the last minute. Take an extra day to write it out, read through it and make all the necessary changes. Your cover letter is as important as your resume and you should spend enough time on it, trying to make it perfect. Check all your spellings, the font and placement before attaching it to your resume.

A strong cover letter is one that supports your nursing resume and convinces the reader that you are a perfect match for the job, so take the time to write it well keeping the above few tips in mind.

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